Indicator.



No. 732,581. PATENTBD JUNESO, 1903. T. J..M0GRATH.

INDICATOR.

. 'APPLIATION FILED SEPT. 27. 1902.

N0l MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented June 30, 1903. Y

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS JORDAN MCGRATH, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR OFl ONE- HALF TOJOHN ELMQUISI, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 732,581, dated .T une30, 1903.

Application filed September Z7, 1902. Serial No. 125,117. (No model.)

To all whom, it' may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS JORDAN Mo- GRATH, a citizen of the UnitedStates ofAmerica, and a resident of Portland, in the county ofMultnomah, State of Oregon, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lthat class of indicators for offices, hotels,and similar places which are designed to indicate whether or not theoccupant of any room in the building is in; and my invention consists inits preierable form of a cabinet having a row of indicators for eachiioor in the building, each row having an indicator for each oflice onthe vation of a cabinet having four rows of indicators thereon arrangedfor a four-story building. Fig. 2 is an elevation of one ofthe supportswith only oneindicator supported thereon. Fig. 3 is a vertical centralsection taken through one of the indicators and its support, this lastligure also showing an additional means of holding the indicators inposition.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by numerals, 1 indicates acabinet divided to indicate or represent four doors of a building, therows being labeled 1st door, 2d iioor, &c., as shown at 2 in Fig. l.Each of these rows has a series of indicators 4, supported in thecabinetby means of rods 5, each rod passing through all the indicators on itsrespective row. Each of the indicators 4 preferably consists of twoplates, each having. a rectangular groove 6 formed near its center, andthe plates have their ends soldered together, so that the groovescoincide and form a passage through which passes the rod 5. Theplatesare soldered at their ends and with the word Out on the other,each indicator also having lnarked thereon on each of its sides thenumber of the room it representsaud the name of the occupant of thatroom. i

Rod-s 5, which have been mentioned as supporting theindicators, may besecured in the cabinet in any desired manner; but I prefer that shown inthe'drawings, which consists 7o of a plate 7, arranged vto be screwed tothe side of the cabinet and having a boss 8,'in which is formed a socketto receive the rod 5, the socket being of corresponding shape to therods, so as to prevent the latter from rotating l therein. The platesand sockets may be the same on each end, or one e'nd'may be formed witha hooked plate 12 to permit of the ready attachment of the rodto allowthe slides to be changed, if necessary. If desired, the 8o plates may beheld at the bottom, as shown in Fig. 3, by means of a plate 10 andspringlinger ll, which coact with the edges of the indicators to holdthem in position.

It will be unnecessary to give any description of the operation of myinventionexcept to state that the indicators are so supported on theirrods that they may be held in any desired position, and thereforewhenever the occupant ot' any room enters or departs from 9o thebuilding he merely moves the indicator to cause it to rotate so as todisplay the wordA In7 or the word Out, whichever is correct.

I am of course aware that indicators for similar purposes are old, and Itherefore do not claim such broadly. y g

What I claim as new is-el. In an indicator, a cabinet or boardcontaining a row of indicators foreach floor of roo the building, eachrow having a suitably-supported rod, and each rod having a number ofindicators arranged to rotate thereon, each indicator extending on eachside of its rod, and the rod and indicators coacting to hold or lock theindicators in the desired position, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, a suitably-supported rod, anindicator extending on both sides of said rod and rotatably heldthereon, said indicator and rod being correspondingly formed to normallyhold the indicatorin the desired position, and yet permitting movementof the indicator on the rod when force is exerted, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a device of the character described, a suitably-supported rod, anindicator rotatably held thereon, said indicator having a recess thereinand said recess and the rod being correspondingly formed to normallyhold the indicator in position, and yet permitting movement of theindicator on the rod when force is exerted, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the character described, a suitably-supported rod ofrectangular form, and an indicator rotatably held ou said rod and havinga rectangular opening therein, through which the rod passes, the saidindicator arranged to yield as it turns on said rectangular rod,substantially as described.\

5. In a device of the character described,

a suitably-supported rod, and an indicator rotatablyheld thereon, saidindicator coinprising two plates held together at their ends and havinga recess through which said rod passes, said plates arranged to spreadin order that they may turn on the rod, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the character described, a suitably-supported rod, andan indicator rotatably held thereon, said indicator comprising twoplates securedtogether and having a recess left between them, saidrecess and the rod being correspondingly formed to prevent the indicatorfrom easily turning on its rod, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the character described, a suitably-supported rod, anindicator rotatably heldv thereon, said indicator comprising two platessecured together and having a recess left between them, said recess andthe rod being correspondingly formed to prevent the indicator fromeasily turning on its rod, and a spring-linger coacting With the platesto assist in preventing them from turning, substantially as described.

Signed by me at Portland, Oregon, this 30th day of August, 1902.

THOMAS JORDAN MCGRATII. Vitnesses:

A. CAsWELL, C. OBRIEN.

